Monday was Labor Day which traditionally marks the unofficial end of summer, but its true purpose is to honor the contributions of American workers.

Union membership has seen a sharp decline since the 1950s. In 1954, about 35 percent of the workforce was unionized. Today, fewer than ten percent of workers in Indiana and nationwide are represented by a union.

Derek Cronin, president of UAW Local 440 in Bedford, said organizing remains a top priority. “Organizing is going to be one of the biggest pushbacks that we have, and there is a lot of work being done by the UAW to try to organize and grow our numbers,” Cronin said.

Indiana’s “right to work” law, passed in 2012, prohibits making union membership a condition of employment. Former state representative Jerry Torr, who authored the law, said, “It’s been tremendous for the state. My friends, at least in the trade unions, have told me that it hasn’t hurt them like they were afraid it might.”

But Joseph Varga, labor studies professor at Indiana University, said the law has weakened unions. “They weaken unions. They weaken their ability to represent their own workers. They weaken the ability of unions to work politically,” he said.

Labor Day also has Indiana roots, dating back to the Pullman strike in 1894 led by Terre Haute organizer Eugene Debs. Advocates say the movement continues to shape workplace rights and protections today.

FROM INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING